Safe or unsafe to travel to Xinjiang province, China?

Safe or unsafe to travel to Xinjiang province, China; cities such as Urumqi, Turfan, Kashgar, etc. ?

It is definitely safe. Just be respectful to the minority customs.

Yes, it is very safe to travel around Xin Jiang province, but try to have some one guide your as there are many minorities groups there and all with different languages and custom practises. Be aware and respect their rules and nothing unhappy would happen. Another things be aware below:

One of the things I found interesting about Xin jiang was how everything was effectively seen as on two time zones simultaneously. Technically, the Chinese government cast the whole of China as on one uniform time - Beijing time. But cities like Kashgar are so far from Beijing, that their daily patterns are naturally closer to those of Tajiks or Kyrgyz across the border.

So even while banks and schools 'function' on Beijing time, everything starts a little later. The post offices for instance open at 10 rather than the official 8. All trains and airplanes run on Beijing time as well.

Make sure when making an appointment which time zone the other peson is referring to.

Sure, you are safe to travel around Xinjiang province.
Firstly, show your respect for the local Uigur customs.
Then be aware that sometime you will travel in outdoor environment where is surrounded by Gobi desert.


By the way, cities such as Urumqi, Turfan, Kashgar are always included in Silk Road tours. See a example itinerary http://www.chinafacttours.com/tours/silk-road-tour-03.html

It will be no problems to travel Xinjiang now. Just have a look at the Xinjiang Travel Guide and get more ideas from that:
http://www.chinatravel.com/xinjiang/

Just follow the travel guide on the below page, you will be always in safety. Xinjiang is a beautiful place, enjoy your time there.

http://www.absolutechinatours.com/china-travel-guide/Urumqi/

Safer to travel in China than parts of America or Britain; of course one should never do silly things like expressing support of any kind for Tibet; which is a part of China.

Yes its safe to travel around Xinjiang. I travel in Xinjiang in the summer of 2007.

Just be careful of the heat in summer time is all I can say.